The present invention is directed to a pressure-tight connection for serially arranged pipe sections of a driven pipeline where the pipeline is driven through an earth section without disturbing the overlying earth. Each pipe section includes a leading end and a trailing end with the leading end of one pipe section abutting against the trailing end of the previously driven pipe section in a pressure-tight manner.
For constructing a pipeline with an inside diameter of about 1000 mm in earth section where the overlying earth is not disturbed, the pipeline can be formed using earth cutting or earth moving procedures. Immediately following the formation of a cavity in the earth, protective pipe sections are drawn or pressed into the cavity produced by the earth removal operation. Often thin wall pipes, usually formed of steel, must be driven into the earth and subsequently lining pipes are placed within the driven pipe sections. The annular space between the pipe sections and the lining sections is subsequently filled. The driven pipe sections cannot be regained they remain in the earth.
These driven pipe sections, which cannot be recovered, must be designed and connected to one another so that they can be driven forwardly following one another in the manner of a link chain into the underground cavity produced in the earth removal operation. Where the pipeline is driven below the ground water table, a pipe connection is required which is sealed against the head of ground water and also affords the safe absorption of any possible transverse or shearing forces.